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War Related Illness and Injury Study Center
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Traumatic Amputations
War Related Illness and Injury Study Center
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Traumatic Amputations
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Some Veterans who are deployed to areas of combat may experience traumatic injuries that result in amputations. Amputation is defined as the removal of a body extremity by trauma or surgery.
Amputations often occur when a limb or part of a limb threatens one's health, and as a result, the limb or part of the limb is surgically removed.Some residual problems related to amputations include:
- Phantom pain (a feeling of pain in the missing limb)
- Surgical complications
- Skin problems
- Heterotopic ossification which can occur when overgrowth of bone occurs instead of scar tissue formation
- Grief
There are many effective treatments for these health problems including:
- Medications
- Protective dressings
- Therapies
- Health education
